The residence of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital which has been hit by a strenge disease called monkey pox, which has so far infected 11 people including a medical doctor, are allegedly avoiding handshakes and bodily contact in public places.
This was said to have followed the advice by the Commissioner of Health in rhe state, Professor Ebitimitula Etebu. The commissioner had urged members of the public to wash hands frequently and maintain higher levels of personal hygiene to curtail the spread of the disease.
Some people who spoke on the sidelines of Thursday’s World Teachers Day celebration in Yenagoa said the precautionary measure was justified due to the anxiety created by the spread of news of the dreaded disease on social media.
“This issue of avoiding handshakes reminds one of the days of the Ebola which compelled everyone to heighten personal hygiene and the government even provided wash hand basins and hand sanitizers at public places, but where are those things today?”
“That is how we are as a people, the Ebola outbreak did not teach us anything. So we are just avoiding each other like plague but what can we do?”
“It is based on advice that we should wash hands frequently and if my hand is clean, I would endanger myself by shaking hands with someone unwashed hands,” Timi James said.